Biscuit-removal means



BISCUIT REMOVAL MEANS 2 Sheets-Sh'et' '1 Original Filed June 29. 1922 7 1' .i 1 9 QQ 2 77 Q3 INVENTOR 652mm 61/). Qua/14mg ATTORNE ail May 3 1927.

1,627,362 E. P. WEBSTER BISCUIT REMOVAL MEANS Original Filed June 29. 1922 2 Sheets-S heet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNE Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL P. WEBSTER, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW.YOBK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHREDDED WHEAT COMPANY, OF NIAGARA. FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATIONDF NEW YORK.

BrsouInnnMovAL'MnANs.

Application filed June 29, 1922, Serial No. 571,825. Renewed May 11, 1926.

This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of food products, such as cereal biscuits, oi the type in which uncooked products are placed on a conveyor, carried on the latter through an oven where they are baked, and then. removed from the conveyor and delivered to the place where they are to be packed in cartons. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for removing the products from the conveyor, and this device is of particular utility in connection with the rnaini't'acture of products of a delicate structure, such cereal biscuits of the shredded wheat type. The application of: the invention to the manutacture of such biscuits will accordingly be described, though it is understood that theutility of the invention is not limited to any particular type of product,

In one type of apparatus for the manufacture of shredded wheat biscuits there is employed a conveyor which is rovided with pans on which the unbaked biscuits are deposited in a row. These biscuits are car ried on the conveyor through the oven, and are there baked and dried, after which the biscuits are removed ll-(nu the pans and are packed in cartons. tlhese baked biscuits are of an extremely fragile character and must be handled with great care to avoid injury.

The object ot the present invei'ition'is to provide a device by which the biscuits may be removed rapidly ironi the conveyor, but without injury, to a packing station, and the biscuits maintained during their removal under exact control, so that they may be delivered at the packing station in groups suitable for immediate introduction into the cartons. In one form ot the device oil the present invention there is employed a reciprocating member which carries a plurality ott iinlividual biscuit-engaging me1nbers' or teeth, and this member is moved in a direction transverse to the direction oft inovement of the conveyor. its the pans on the conveyor come successively into registry with the device the li'lGl'lllJOl is moved over the pan and the teeth brought to a position in which they engage the individual biscuits in a row on the pan. Then the member is moved away from the conveyor so that the teeth carry the biscuits from the pan to a suitable receiving surface. At the end of the reciprocation the member is 'aised so that the teeth clear the biscuits and then is moved to its. original position and the cycle 01 operations repeated. Preferably the number of teeth is greater than the number of biscuits removed from the pan in a single operation so that in each reciprocation ot' the member a group of biscuits is removed from the pan in single tile and other groups 01 biscuits are moved along the receiving surface by the teeth. lhe movement of the biscuits over the surface in successive steps eventually brings the biscuits in position for delivery to the carton-filling devices.

The accoin ianying drawings illustrate one embodiment oil the invention, and in these drawings,

Fig. l a side view of the device showing a portion of the conveyor and a part of the packing mechanism with which the device is intended to be used,

Fig 2 is an enlarged side view oi the reciprocating members,

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line oi? .l ig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a side view oil one ot the biscuit engaging teeth showing its n'munting on the parallel links,

Fig. 5 an enlarged detail plan View oi? one oi the parallel movement links with cor tain parts broken away.

lleterring now to these drawings, the numeral 1 designates the conveyor chain which carries trai'isverse pans or trays 3, in each 01'' which is disposed a plurality of biscuits 1", arranged in a row. In the operation ot the conveyor these pans are brought successively into registry with the biscuit removal device 16.

This device includes a head 17, slidablc upon guide rods 18 which extend transverse to the direction of movement oi the con- 'veyor. The head 17 includes a main head 17 and a supplementary head designated 17, which receives a reciprocatory movement of greater degree than main head 17. The head 17 is operated by a rock lever l9 swung on pivot by any suitable mechanism and connected by a link connection 20 with the head, i

The biscuit removal device or comb 16 has a frame 16, which is provided with a slot and pin connection 16 with the head 17, whereby it is moved as a unit with said head horizontally, but is capable of inclependent reoiprocatory vertical movement.

The supplementary head 17 is free to move between stops 24 and 25 on the main head 17 and as the rock lever 19 swings to carry the supplementary head to the left, as shown in. Fig. 2, head 17 moves relatively to head 17 until it engages the stop 24. In this movement, head 17, through links operates bell crank levers 22 which are connected by links 23* to the comb frame 16.

This movement of the bell crank levers raises the comb frame and as soon as the head l7 engages the stop 24 of the main head l7, the two heads lT and 17 are moved as, a unit, the comb frame 16 being held in its upper position. In the return movement of the heads, caused by the swinging of lever 19, the supplementary head 17 first moves. relatively to head 17 until it engages the stop 25 and in this movement the bell crank levers are swung so as to lower the comb frame 16 until the separate teeth 25. on the comb frame lie close to the surface of a tray 3 on the conveyor. As the trays are, brought successively into. position in registry with the device, the arm 19 rocks to,

move th heads and the comb frame to the group of six biscuits from the next conveyor tray to. the platform and moves the first group. of six along the platform. On succeeding operations of the device, six biscuits, re removed from a conveyor pan and. groups, of biscuits on the platform or table are, moved along the latter toward the automatic packing mechanism shown diagram-- matically at the right in Fig 1;. 7

Each tooth or blade 25 of the comb 16 has pivot pins 30 connecting the same with parallel movement links 31, the latter at their inner ends having pivot pins 32, en gaging brackets 33, boltedto the comb frame at; 3,4,, said pins 32 being; threaded at their inner ends into the comb frame 16. In this way, the, comb teeth or blades are capable of a vertically reciprocatory movement, as shown in dotted lines in, 5 or of yielding upwardly, in case of the slightest resistance being encormtered, to; thereby avoid injairy to the del cate-1 bis it, and against the ten- 310E015; spr ngs 1,6 which. ac to. parts to normal position. a

The pins 32 pass through apertures in return the plugs 35 which fit in recesses in the inner ends of the links 31. In these recesses are coil springs 36 which bear against the reduced ends of the plugs 35. The pins 32 extend through open slots 31 in the opposite walls of the links and with this arrange ment the comb teeth or blades are capable of a lateral yielding movement against the tension of the springs 36. The springs are relatively weak so that the teeth are capable of yielding readily to avoid injury to the delicate biscuit.

I claim d 1. In biscuit removal means, a conveyor including trans'verse'trays, a platform, and horizontally working means for successively removing transverse rows of biscuit in single file from said traysto said platform including an upwardly yieldable vertical pusher member for each biscuit adapted to retain its vertical position throughout its upward movement.

2. In biscuit removal means, a conveyor including transverse trays, a platform, and horizontally working means for successively removing transverse rows of biscuit in single iile fromsaid trays to said platform including an upwardlyyield'able vertical pusher movingtransverse rows of biscuit from said conveyor to. said platform and including a head working upon guides, a frame, a rake I head having vertical slot and pin connection with said frame, bell levers fulcrumed to said frame and having link connections with said head and with said rake head, said. 7,

frame. having stops engaged by said head in its movement upon said guides.

ll In biscuit removal means, a conveyor, a platform, and means for successively removing transverse rows of biscuit from said conveyor to said platform and including a head working upon guides, a frame, a rake head having vertical slot and pin connection with said frame, and means whereby said head in its movement will depress said rake head vertically, move the same therewith horizontally, raise the rake head vertically and move the same therewith horizontally to, starting position.

5. In a biscuit removal device, a conveyor, and horizontally reciprocatory means for removing therefrom successive rows of biscuit including an individual member for each biscuit adapted for yieldable movement in different, directions.

6. In a biscuit removal device, a conveyor, and horizontally reciprocatory means for re moving therefrom successive rows of biscuit including an individual member for each biscuit adapted for yieldable movement upwardly, downwardly, forwardly and backwardly.

7. The combination of a conveyor adapted to carry biscuits, :1. member reciprocnble horizontally toward and away from the conveyor, a plurality of members operatively connected. to the member for engaging single biscuits in a row on the conveyor, means for reciprocating the member, and. means for lowering the biscuit engaging members vertically as a unit at one point in the reciprocation of the men'iber and for raising the members vertically as a unit at another point in the rmfiiprocation of the men'iber.

8. In a biscuit removal device, the combination of :1 member reciprocabie horizontally, a second. member {)l'OVlLltLl with a plurality of blades, an operative connec tion between the first member and the second, and means for reciprocatir 5 the two members in unison, the said means permitting a relative movement of the members at the beginning of the reciprocating movement in each direction, whereby the connection between the meu'ibers is og'ierated to move the second member vertlcaliy.

9. In a biscuit removal device, the combination of a member reciprocable l'iorisoi'itally, a frame reciprocable horizontally and also vertically movable with referei'ice to the said member, a connection between the member and the lflitfl'lt. operable to raise and lower the frame, a plurality of blades carried by the frame, and means for reciprocating the member and the frame in unison, the said means permitting a movement of the member relative to the frame at the be ginning of the reciprocation of the member in either direction, whereby the connection operated to move the frmne vertically.

14). in a bistaiit removal device, the combination of a member reciprocable on hori zontal guides, a franie reciprocablc along the guides, the 'i'nember and frame being capable of limited movement in the direction of their reciprocation and the frame being movable relatively to the member in a vertical direction, linkage connecting the member and the frame and being opi-irable upon rela tive movement of the member and frame in the direction of their reciprocation to raise and lower the frame, a plurality of blades carried by the frame, and means for recipro ca .ing the member and frame in unison, this means also permitting an initial relative movement of the member and frame in the direction of their reciprocation, such that the linkage is operated to raise and lower the frame.

ll. In biscuit removal means, the combination of a .u'ien'iber movable on horizontal guides, a frame reciprocable with the memher horizontally and carrying a plurality of blades, this frame also being capable of vertical movement relatively to the member, linkage connecting the member and the frame and operable upon a relative horizontal movement of the frame and member to move the frame vertically, means for reciprocating the member horizontally, and means connected to the frame and engaged by the member for i,-ermitting an initial movement of the member relative to the frame to cause the latter to be moved verti ally and thereafter com'iecting the member and frame to cause the two to be moved horicont-ally.

12. in a device of the class described, the combination of a horizontally reciprocating member, a frame movable horizontally by the member and capable of being moved vertically relatively thereto, and means con nected to the frame and to the member and adi'qated, to impart a lowering movement to the frame at the beginning of the reciprocation of the member in a feeding direction and to impart a raising movement to the frame upon the begiiming of the return moven'ient.

1%}. In a device of the type described, the combination of a reciprocating slide, a reciprocating driving member having limited movement relative to said slide, a frame carried by the slide and having vertical move ment relative thereto, means operatively connecting the frame to the driving member whereby the frame is initially lowered dur ing reciprocation in the feeding direction and initially raised during reciprocation in the reverse direijaion, and means carried by the frame adapted to engage behind individual articles during reciprocation in the feeding direction and to be (:lisengaged from behindthe articles during reciprocation in the reverse direction.

l t. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reci iirocating member and a plurality of spaced, flexibly mounted blades carried by the member, these blades being adapted to engage behind individual articles during reciprocation in the feeding direction. and to be disengaged 'iri'nn behind the articles during recim'ocation in the reverse direction.

15. In a device of the class described, the coi'nbination of a reciprocating member, a plurality of spaced. flexibly mounted blades carried by the member, means for movingthe member and the blades in unison in a horizontal direction, and means for moving the blades as a unit relatively to the member in a vertical direction at the beginning of the reciprocating movement .in either direction.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

EARL P. WEBSTER. 

